When they get inside, Skyler sets Stella’s stuff on a table in the foyer and Trevor’s bag on the floor, then turns back to them. “You can let her off the leash.”
Trevor hesitates. “Are you sure? She’s pretty excited. She might jump on you.”
“I’m totally okay with that.”
I might jump on you too.
He crouches down and whispers, “Be good,” into Stella’s ear before he unclips her leash. A lot of good it does, because the second she’s free, she shoots around him, knocking him onto his ass with her swooshing tail, and runs full speed at Skyler.
Skyler greets her with open arms, bending down to bury his face in her fur. Trevor’s heart skips a beat or two at the sight of him looking so soft and sweet, loving on his dog. The man is seriously trying to kill him.
And Stella instantly loves him, looking at him so adoringly it’s like she’s forgotten who feeds her. The furry traitor. Although who could blame her? Skyler may just be the most lovable human on Earth.
As Trevor stands there watching the pair of them, he realizes he’s growing jealous of his damn dog. But it’s not fair how she’s receiving all of Skyler’s affection. How she gets his cuddles and kisses so easily, without having to ask.
Okay, he’s losing it.
When he clears his throat, Skyler straightens up, smiling at him sheepishly. “Sorry. It’s been forever since I’ve been around a dog. I was excited for this.”
That’s cute. He’s cute.S-O-fucking-S, somebody save me.
“She’s clearly excited too. But can we take this past the foyer?”
“Right, come on.” Skyler grabs Trevor’s bag again and slings it over his shoulder, but Trevor grabs the dog’s stuff this time before he can take that too.
They make their way into the kitchen, Stella trailing right at Skyler’s heels, and Skyler points out a spot in the corner for Trevor to put the bowls on the floor.
Trevor leaves the bag of food on the counter for now, pushed back far enough that Stella can’t snatch it, then fills her water bowl. She immediately starts lapping it up. She must have worked up a thirst by thirsting after Skyler. Or maybe he’s projecting.
“She’s making a mess,” he says, glancing around for a dish towel that’s not too fancy to wipe up the water on the floor.
“It’s fine,” Skyler says. “I’m not worried about it.”
“But—”
“Trevor.” Skyler gives him a soft look when he cuts him off. “It’s only water and she’s going to splash more. We’ll get it later.”
“Okay,” he relents, still feeling a tad uneasy.
Stella finally stops drinking, but as she whips her head around and wanders away, she leaves a trail of water behind. Trevor tries not to cringe.
“Let’s go to the living room,” Skyler says.
Once there, Trevor immediately spots the giant dog bed in the middle of the floor. “What’s this?”
“A dog bed.”
“But you don’t have a dog.”
Skyler gives him ano shitlook, and says, “But you do, and you were bringing her here, so I bought some stuff.”
“You didn’t have to do that.”
“I want her to be comfortable here.”
Trevor doesn’t know what to say. Because that implies Skyler wantshimto be comfortable here too, doesn’t it?
It’s not like he didn’t know that. Skyler’s done everything he can to make him comfortable. But the fact that he thought to do the same for his dog? That he went through the trouble of going to the pet store? It’s ridiculously freaking sweet. Even if he might have had an assistant go for him or something.
